The Spring Leg of the CRO Melges 24 Cup Season Kicks Off in Biograd

26 February 2026 - Biograd, Croatia - This weekend (27 February – 1 March), Biograd will host the opening regatta of the spring series of the CRO Melges 24 Cup 2026. Two events were completed late last year in Split (JK Špinut) and Trogir (JK Trogir), while the spring schedule features four more regattas: Biograd, Zadar, Opatija, and a return to Biograd at the end of April for the Open Croatian Championship.

JK Briva Biograd, CRO

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A strong fleet of 17 teams has already entered the Biograd event, with two additional international crews from Italy and Greece expected to join. As anticipated, all leading Croatian teams will be on the starting line. So far, one foreign entry has officially confirmed – the Norwegian team racing Party Girl, helmed by Jens Altern Wathne, former President of the International Melges 24 Class Association.

Biograd will also mark the regatta debut of a new Under-25 team from Rijeka aboard Otavić, skippered by Edo Fike. It is encouraging to see the Melges 24 fleet continuing to grow in its sixth organised season in Croatia.

Entry list

For the first time, the regatta will utilize the Vakaros RaceSense system, while the race committee, led by Marko Mišura, will also deploy Robo electronic marks. Following amendments to the Melges 24 class rules last year, Vakaros instruments are now permitted for the detection of premature starters (OCS). The use of the Vakaros system will become standard across all CRO Melges 24 Cup events, and all teams will be required to carry the instruments on board.

RaceSense will also be in operation at the Melges 24 World Championship, scheduled to take place in Pula at the end of May 2027.

Two weeks after the Biograd regatta, organised by JK Briva, the series continues in Zadar under the organisation of JK Uskok. The Opatija regatta (JK Opatija), held from 9 to 12 April, is part of the European Melges 24 Sailing Series and traditionally attracts the largest fleet within the CRO Cup, regularly drawing teams from Italy, Austria, and other Central European countries.

The sixth edition of the CRO Melges 24 Cup will conclude with the Open Croatian Championship in Biograd from 30 April to 3 May, once again organised by JK Briva. It will be the first time the national championship is hosted in Biograd, and numerous international teams have already announced their participation, including Paolo Brescia and his crew aboard Melgina.

The CRO Melges 24 Cup is supported by Luki Baustoffe, Angelina Yacht Charter, Sailing Point Croatia, North Sails, One Sails, digital studio Akvarij, Raiser digital agency, ProMarine, Dustom Sails and Smartmotion.

Event website